Aeroplane.



2 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

Patented July 16, 1912.

S. M. BROWN.

AEROPLANB.

ArrLIcATIoN FILED rnB.2a,1912.

NTQWTOR .HTTORNEY COLUMBIA PLANOBRAPH Co., WASHINGTQN. D. c.

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.10g /mlf S. M. BROWN.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.28,1912.

1,032,587. Patented July 16, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANouR/mn co., WASHINGTON. D. c.

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SPENCER M. BRQWN, F FOBJTLANE OREGON.

AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

13e it known that I, SPENCER M. Brown, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fort-land, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes, of the heavierthan air type, and has for its object to provide a craft whose entireframe and structure, substantially, presents a sustaining surface to theair.

A further object is to provide an air craft which will automaticallyright itself in the air and whose sustaining surface is so arranged thatthe volume of air which ordinarily would become banked underneath theforward part of the machine, in its advance, is allowed to escape, sothat each portion of the machine can Contact with fresh air, which hasthe greater sustaining power.

A still further object is to provide an air craft, the body of whichconsists of oppositely disposed, upwardly inclined wings composed of aseries of units formeel in regular gradations and alternately disposedin truss-like arrangement, so that each portion of the surface is notonly a sustaining surface and arranged to most effectively utilize thebuoyancy of the air, but the one section is so disposed as to brace andsustain the other, thus forming a Yframe work of the sustainingsurfaces.

1 accomplished these and other objects by the mechanism illust-rated inthe accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of myimproved device. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a front view of frame work, showing the sectional units in the outerportions of the wings arranged in conformity to those in the innerportion Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the front portion of the frame,or wings. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a-plurality of sections.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A represents the right wing, and Bthe left, disposed at an angle of about 35 degrees from the horizontal.Ata point near the middle of the front edge, each wing is broken into asection, whose width is approximately onequarter that of it-s length, orsuch as is found to give it the greatest sustaining power; and the innerportions thereof are arranged in an inverted position, so that the apexof the angle formed by them, will stand in line with the outer edges ofthe sections 1, and the sides will form a transverse brace to sustainthe lateral strain upon the wings. The succeeding inner sections 11 areleft in alinement with the outer portions or sections contiguousthereto, thereby forming a box-like arrangement, with the lower portionstanding to the rear of the upper, which portions are sustained by thevertical stay 14.

The inner sections 3 succeeding sections 11, are inclined upwardly, inthe same manner and for the same purpose as sections 1. But since theimpact of the machine against the air, and the continuous advance of themachine brings the greater strain upon the front portion thereof, it isnot necessary for the rear sections to be as large as those to thefront. For this reason the sections are made to gradually decrease inarea. 13 is a vertical support for sections 3. These in turn arefollowed by sections 12 alined with sections 11 and again the succeedingsections 4 are upwardly inclined, but of smaller area than sections 3.Following these are sections 17 alined with sections 11 and 12. It isobvious that the series may be continued ,with such variations as todimension and angle as may be found most practicable.

The outer and rear portions of the wings may be broken intocorresponding sections 7 and 8, as shown in Fig. 5, depending from thebody of the wing at an angle corresponding to that of the previouslydescribed sections, leaving the spaces 15 and 16 through which thebanked and exhausted air may escape, thus allowing the succeedingportions of the craft to contact with fresh air.

Transversely of the device, is positioned a lateral brace 5, which issecured at the apex of the sections 3 and extends horizontally throughopenings 38 in each wing to form the projecting sections 9. This bracehas a broad surface and athin front edge, so

4that it will offer the least possible head-on resistance to the air,and at the same time afford sustaining power to the craft upon airemerging through the openings in front. A similar brace 6, having thepointed rear projection 10, extends across lthe craft in like manner onthe line of the apex of sections 4. The portions of these braces whichproject to the outer sides of the wings may be inclined downwardly, asat 8a and 7a respectively in conformity to the other described sections.

The apexes of sections l1, l2 and 17 form the keel of the craft, andwithin the angle thus formed is mounted the operative mechanism. Y

Near the front of sections 1l is fixed a motor 26, to which isconnect-ed the central propeller 34 mounted contiguous thereto in properbearings. At the front edge of the machine, in each angle formed Aby theunion of each pair of sections l and 2, are mounted propellers 18 and 19upon shafts 29 and 2l respectively, which operate in suitable bearings22 23. From each of these shafts is extended a transverse shaft 25,which operatively connects the propellers with the motor 26.

lVithin the angles formed at the bases of sections 3 and sections 4 maybe distributed fuel tanks 37 and 45, which communicate through suit-ablepipes 32 with the motor, thus distributing the weight about the craft,but yet keeping it below the center' of the sustaining surface.

At a suitable point below sections 3, in the rear of the motor, isarranged the operators seat 3l convenient to lever 27 which is connectedwith and controls the propel- 1ers. Adjacent thereto, also is the lever30 which is connected, by means of the pivoted rods 53, 52 and 33 withthe horizontal rudder 35 hinged to the front edge of sections 7, bymeans of which the vertical angle of the craft is controlled.. In therear section of each wing is provided a further rudder 40 and 50respectively, mounted in suitable openings, upon shafts 39 and 51respectively, at points in advance of their rear portions. The shaft 39is geared to shaft 4l, which is operated and controlled by lever 54. Theshaft 49 connected with the rudder 50, also is operated by a similarlever, though it is obvious that the two may be so connected, as to beoperated in unison and in opposite directions by the same lever.

Mounted centrally beneath sections 4 upon a vertical shaft 46EL is afour-sided box-like rudder 46 mounted in conformity to the anteriorsectional units and adapted to control lateral movements of the craft,though it is obvious that it may be operated for controlling verticalmovements. Upon said shaft 46a is fixed the lateral arm 43, to which isattached the rod 47, with which is connected the controlling lever 28.

Beneath the rear portion of the device, in a suitable bracket ispivotally mounted the vertical shaft 44a, carrying the traction wheel44. From shaft 44a a lateral arm 48 is extended, to which is pivotallyengaged the connecting rod 42, connecting it with lever 28, by means ofwhich the course of the device upon the ground is controlled.

A bracket 24"l is suitably fixed beneath the front end of the frame, ineach side of which is mounted a traction wheel 24, in

the same horizontal plane with the rear wheel 44, for supporting it innormal position when on the ground.

1n this device all structural parts are made of thin strong material,having a broad horizontal surface, so that the least possible head-onresistance will be presented to the air, and that substantially everypart will present a sustaining surface, which will carry at least itsown weight. The truss-like arrangement of the sections affords thegreatest strength to the materials, while it makes every portion asustaining surface and gives to the central quadrilateral sections abox-like structure, thereby making use of the air in a way, which wouldbe impossible with plane surfaces. 4,

The disturbed air which banks and accumulates under the craft, will loseits buoyancy and sustaining power. Hence it is important to allow it toescape through the openings between the various sections, so that thewings may contact with fresh, undisturbed air.

In Figs. l and 2 the wings are broken up into sections, only in theseries leading alorg their longitudinal center. 1t is obvious that theremaining portions may be left intact in plane surfaces, or broken upinto alternating angularly disposed sect-ions, having decreasing areas,as may be desired.

By this arrangement of the propellers, it is possible to navigate thecraft after certain of them are disabled. It also is possible to reduceor increase the speed of any one or more of them to accomplish a changein the direction of the craft. 1t is obvious, moreover that by theupwardly inclined disposition of the wings with the motor and all heavyparts arranged centrally upon or near the keel, the device willautomatically right itself in the air, no matter in what position it maybe placed with respect to the sustaining surfaces, whether in horizontalposition, head-on, or the reverse.

Whether the wing is broken into sections or left in a continuous,unbroken surface its entire area is spread to the air, both whenadvancing and at rest. Moreover, when the device tilts from one side tothe other, the descending side presents a gradually increasing breadthof surface against the air, while the opposite wing is approaching avertical position, losing its sustaining power and causing the machineto automatically right itself.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. An aeroplane comprising a pair of upwardly inclined wings united attheir lower edges, each wing being broken into transversely disposedsections and each alternating section along the inner edge of each wingbeing inclined upwardly to -meet that of the other, thereby forming atruss-like frame work.

2. An aeroplane comprising a pair of upwardly inclined wings united attheir lower edges, and each wing consisting of a series of segmentalunits arranged in regular gradations from front to rear the alternatingsections along the inner edges being upwardly inclined, thereby forminga trusslile frame work for the wings.

3. An aeroplane comprising a pair of up wardly inclined wings united attheir lower edges, each wing consisting of a series of segmental unitsarranged in regular gradations from front to rear the alternatingsections along the inner edges being upwardly inclined, and a bracewhose horizontal dimension comports with that of said sections, unitingthe apex of the upwardly inclined central sections with the outerportions of the wings, thereby forming a truss-like frame work for thewings and each portion forming sustaining surface.

a. An aeroplane comprising a pair of upwardly inclined wings united attheir lower edges, each wing consisting of a series of segmental unitsarranged in regular gradations from front to rear, the alternatingsections along the inner edges being upwardly inclined, a quadrilateralrudder pivotally mounted in conformity to said angularly disposedsections to form a box-like rudder, and means for operating the rudder.

5. An aeroplane comprising a pair of upwardly inclined wings united attheir lower edges, each wing consisting of a series of segment-al unitsarranged in regular gradat-ions from front to rear the alternatingsections along the inner edges being upwardly inclined operativemechanism disposed longitudinally along the united ends of the lowermostsections, a plurality of propellers connect-ed therewith and means forindependently controlling the speed of the propellers whereby itsequilibrium is maintained.

6. An aeroplane comprising a pair of upwardly inclined wings united attheir lower edges, each wing consisting of a series of segmental unitsarranged in regular gradations from front to rear the alternatingseotions along the inner edges being upwardly inclined, operativemechanism disposed longitudinally along the united ends of the lowermostsections, a plurality of propellers connected therewith, means forindependently controlling the speed of the propellers whereby itslequilibrium is maintained, sup-4 plemental rudders for controllingVertical and horizontal movements, and means for operating saidsupplemental rudders.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SPENCER M. BROWN. Witnesses:

W. G. KING, I. N. MATLICK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

